The pattern of the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2015 to be held on November 29 for admissions to prestigious B-schools has been changed to provide an "even" field to candidates from divergent streams and for a better assessment of data interpretation ability.
As against two sections last year, there would be three sections in the exam to be held, namely, Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VRC).
The test will be held in two sessions on November 29 and results will be announced in the second week of January 2016, a statement said.
"Some questions in each section may not be of multiple choice type. Instead, direct answers are to be typed on the screen," CAT 2015 Convenor Tathagata Bandyopadhyay said in the statement.
While, QA and VRC will have 34 questions each, DILR will have 32 questions.
Last year, data interpretation was a part of QA and logical reasoning was part of VRC.
The duration of the examination has been increased to 180 minutes from 170 minutes, the statement said.
The candidates will be allotted exactly 60 minutes for answering questions in each section and they cannot switch from one section to another while answering questions.
The use of basic onscreen calculator for computation would be allowed.
Director of IIM-Rohtak P Rameshan felt the change in format may bring in more rationality and diversity in gender and academic background as there would be written answers too.
The CAT exam has been criticised for being skewed towards candidates from engineering background but the changes could provide an "even field to candidates coming from different streams", said an IIM faculty.
MORE FROM EXAM :
OPSC to hold fresh test for Odisha Judicial Service (prelim) exam
A former IIM director said the changes would help in better assessment of how the future managers can collect data from multiple sources and make sense of it.
Registration for CAT 2015 will start on August 6 and candidates can download their admit card from October 15.
As against two sections last year, there would be three sections in the exam to be held, namely, Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VRC).
The test will be held in two sessions on November 29 and results will be announced in the second week of January 2016, a statement said.
"Some questions in each section may not be of multiple choice type. Instead, direct answers are to be typed on the screen," CAT 2015 Convenor Tathagata Bandyopadhyay said in the statement.
While, QA and VRC will have 34 questions each, DILR will have 32 questions.
Last year, data interpretation was a part of QA and logical reasoning was part of VRC.
The duration of the examination has been increased to 180 minutes from 170 minutes, the statement said.
The candidates will be allotted exactly 60 minutes for answering questions in each section and they cannot switch from one section to another while answering questions.
The use of basic onscreen calculator for computation would be allowed.
Director of IIM-Rohtak P Rameshan felt the change in format may bring in more rationality and diversity in gender and academic background as there would be written answers too.
The CAT exam has been criticised for being skewed towards candidates from engineering background but the changes could provide an "even field to candidates coming from different streams", said an IIM faculty.
MORE FROM EXAM :
OPSC to hold fresh test for Odisha Judicial Service (prelim) exam
A former IIM director said the changes would help in better assessment of how the future managers can collect data from multiple sources and make sense of it.
Registration for CAT 2015 will start on August 6 and candidates can download their admit card from October 15.
